LONDON, March 16 (Reuters) - European shares were expected to open almost flat on Friday consolidating near eight-month highs hit after recent encouraging economic numbers, especially from the United States and Germany, with investors waiting for the next catalysts to push the market higher. Financial spreadbetters expected Britain's FTSE 100 to open flat, Germany's DAX to rise 5 to 8 points, or as much as 0.1 percent, and France's CAC-40 to open unchanged. The FTSEurofirst 300 index e